LA GRANGE – Two armed men barged into a convenience store Monday, making off with cash, cigarettes and other merchandise.

Around 7:30 p.m., two black males wearing hoodies and other clothing to obscure their faces entered the North Lenoir Community Mart on Institute Road. The first suspect immediately brandished a firearm and pointed it at the store owner, who was standing behind the counter.

The suspects demanded money, which the store owner pushed across the counter. A second suspect bagged the money.

According to a Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office release, one of the suspects asked the store owner to get down in a corner, but feeling like he might be shot, he distracted the suspects and made a break out the back door.

A suspect shot, but missed the owner, who survived the incident unharmed. The suspects fled the store following the attempted shooting and left the scene in a vehicle that was parked in a field near the store’s location.

About 45 minutes before the robbery, LCSO investigators believe the same two people were involved in trying to rob a man stopped at the corner of Banks School and Falling Creek roads in Kinston.

The victim reported two black men in dark clothing walked up to his car – one on each side – and demanded money from him. The victim quickly drove off and wasn’t robbed or injured. LCSO deputies and detectives immediately reported to the area but were unable to find suspects, and vehicle they were in, that met the description given by the victim.

“There is a good chance person(s) witnessed the suspect vehicle occupied by two black males wearing dark clothing, slowly riding the area around Banks School Road and Falling Creek Road or near Institute,” Lenoir County Sheriff Chris Hill said in a statement. “If you think you may have seen these suspects or you know anything about these robberies, please contact us immediately. We are entering the holiday season and these types of crimes will begin to pick up. I want citizens to be aware of their surroundings and become more observant in their communities so we can stop this now.”

The LCSO is offering $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest of the suspects. If you have any information, you’re encouraged to call the sheriff’s office at 252-559-6140, Lenoir County Crime Stoppers at 252-523-4444, or submit a tip through the LCSO website at www.lenoircountysheriff.com.

Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 and Wes.Wolfe@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter @WolfeReports.